Citing sources

Citing sources is an essential part of the academic writing process:

Why cite | When to cite | How to cite | Style guides | Plagiarism

Always cite sources When you refer to someone else's words or ideas, whether found in books, articles, speeches, interviews, movies, or Web sites.

You do not have to cite facts, events, dates, and concepts that are considered to be common knowledge.

Provide a reference to a source whenever you introduce a new concept, explanation, or specific fact. By doing so, you are attributing the information to the appropriate source and providing evidence of your research.

Example

Stating that World War II was waged between the years 1939 and 1945 does not need to be cited.

However, mentioning that Canada's population grew by 4% between 1996 and 2001, representing an increase of 1.16 million people, does require the following citation:

"Canada's 2001 Population: Growth Rates and Trends." Census Geography - Highlights and Analysis. 20 Jan. 2004. Statistics Canada. 12 Aug. 2004. http://geodepot.statcan.ca/Diss/Highlights/Page2/Page2.e.cfm.